The CELTICS are BACK!

8.4.07

The Celtics are Back!

I’ve always been a huge fan of the Boston Celtics ever since I could remember. I grew up during the Bird era in Mansfield, Massachusetts. Unfortunately, the Celtics haven’t been much competition since Larry Bird left in 1992. They’ve had mild success with Paul Pierce, the current face of the franchise, and Antoine Walker in the late nineties and have only been to the playoffs six times since Bird’s departure. But, last year was one of their worst seasons ever which saw a franchise record 18-game losing streak. It was clear to everyone, including the Celtics’ director of basketball operations Danny Ainge, that a change was needed. And that’s exactly happened.

The trade for All-Star shooting guard Ray Allen immediately following this year’s NBA draft on June 28th was an attempt to change the trend of the previous three years to draft and build young players. Instead choosing to trade young talent and acquire valuable veteran players who can make an impact immediately. However, Allen wasn’t the only support for Paul Pierce Ainge was going to get.

On July 30th, the Celtics traded for Kevin Garnett, the All-Star power forward of the Minnesota Timberwolves, and one of my favorite players. The blockbuster deal sent a number of young soon to be stars to the T-Wolves including up and coming Al Jefferson. It was definitely a hefty price, but I can’t be happier. Garnett has consistently been one of the top players in the league for many years. Now with Ray Allen, who is one of the best long-range shooters in the league, and Paul Pierce, who shows no signs of stopping his brilliance in the organization, the Celtics are already contenders and one of the favorites in the Eastern Conference. And more importantly, these recent moves show me that the team does care about winning and getting back to the level of the once dominant Boston Celtics of previous years.